Wednesday, December 26, 2012

IL - Sex Offender, Child Luring Laws to Take Effect Jan. 1

An Illinois law that takes effect Jan. 1 will officially prohibit convicted sex offenders from participating in holiday events—from dressing up as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny to handing out candy on Halloween.

Offenders who break this law (SB 3579/PA 97-0699) could be subject to fines or revocation of their parole or probation, and could face additional jail time, according to a press release from Senator Kirk Dillard's office.

“I do not believe child sex offenders should be given the opportunity to dress up and participate in a holiday event that caters directly to young children,” Dillard said in a statement.

He said he sponsored the law in response to real incidents that occurred in Illinois where child sex offenders used holiday events as a way to inappropriately interact with children.

Dillard also sponsored House Bill 5265/PA 97-0998, allowing for felony prosecution of people who attempt to lure older children into their car while the child is traveling to or from school, according to the release.

“Obviously, there are 16- and 17-year-olds who are juniors and seniors in high school. They are still children, and they should not be excluded from this type of protection,” said Dillard.

The Senator said the new law was introduced in response to a case in DuPage County, where a 17-year-old was on her way to school, and was approached by a sex offender who tried to lure her into his van. Though the van was stopped by police, law enforcement officials could only charge the individual with disorderly conduct because the state’s current child luring law only applies to minors who are younger than 16 years of age.

“After Jan. 1, any individual caught preying on children walking to school will be punished appropriately,” Dillard said.

Dillard also sent a list of legislation that will be effective Jan. 1. Related laws include:

Sex Offender Evaluations (SB 3638/PA 97‐ 1098): Establishes three new professional licenses for sex offender evaluators. Also requires that juveniles who seek to be taken off the sex offender registry receive a risk assessment.

Sex Predators (HB 5280/PA 97‐1073): Provides that any person who is convicted of luring a minor is considered a sexual predator. Currently, persons must be convicted twice before being declared a sexual predator.

Sex Trafficking (HB 5278/PA 97‐897): Allows prosecution for sexual trafficking and sexual servitude for a minimum of one year after the victim turns 18, but not less than three years after the offense occurred. This is designed to make it more likely that underage victims of sexual trafficking will report the crime after they turn 18.

5 comments
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Wow another dumb law that only an idiot will have passed when was the last time you've heard of a guy dressing up as the easter bunny,,or santa clause snatching up little kids and this is coming from the false report captiol of the country sheesh when will people learn

I guess my New Year's resolution will be a renewed vigilance against idiots that claim to be saviors of people and yet undermine everything this country was supposed to stand for: Unity, Liberty, Freedom from tyranny...I suppose that, up until now, it was legal for men (would a woman asking a teen into her car be considered a predator?) to "lure" young people into their cars? What if the day was cold? In Illinois, some winters can see the temperature drop to 30 below zero. If I saw a child walking in that kind of weather, most certainly I would stop and offer a ride! Sorry, but while children seem to feel the cold less it only means that they will freeze all the faster!Then you have this dimwit claiming that 16 and 17 year olds are still children. They can drive, can't they? If you are in control of a potentially dangerous or deadly machine, are you not considered an adult? Oh, and lest we forget that puberty starts at 16 or earlier. If they are sexually active (and many are) then why aren't they considered adults? Add to that the fact that, in some states, the age of consent is 16... HELLO?!Now that the door is open to challenging stupidity of this magnitude, it seems entirely likely that more and more lawsuits will start showing up in courts against legislators that were too short-sighted to bother reading the news or the Constitution!Clearly, when our humanity is made illegal by those that are supposed to lead us, then leadership is no longer the goal and domination is. We are all human and subject to the same influences as anybody else. Anybody can stumble, even the elite (actually, more so...)...